Mistletoe
by Rationale
Summary: It's Christmastime at the 4077th, and that means mistletoe. HM warning. By the way, this is complete! Read and Review!


Disclaimer: Do I really need to write one of these???? All right, if I must. I do not own MASH. There. Simple enough for ya???  
  
A/N: This is an H/M set in Korea, during Christmastime. This was kind of inspired by a fanfic called "Dona Nobis Pacem" Thanks to the author, and apologies if this is a little too much like your fic, I didn't intend for it to be. I got the idea for this fic about a week ago, and just now decided to write it!!! I hope you like it!!!!  
  
Mistletoe  
  
It was Christmas Eve, and the 4077th was gathered in the Mess Tent for a celebration of Christmas cheer. There was halfway decent food, drinks, and most importantly, mistletoes. All night, people had been caught and kissed underneath the little green plant.  
  
The door opened, and in walked Santa, played by Colonel Potter. "Ho ho ho!!!"  
  
Everyone laughed.  
  
"Oh boy! Santa's here!" Hawkeye said excitedly.  
  
Everyone gather around as Santa started to pass around packages from home.  
  
"BJ, what did you get?"  
  
"Well, I got some Christmas cookies that Peg and Erin made, a pair of mittens, and a photo of Erin wearing a Santa Hat."  
  
Hawkeye glanced at the photo, and smiled. "She's gorgeous, BJ. Erin's really growing."  
  
BJ sighed. "Yeah, and I'm not there to see it."  
  
Hawkeye, trying to relieve his friend's sadness, said, "Ooh, look what I got!" He ripped open the package. 'I got a medical journal and a scarf from my dad." He wrapped the scar around his neck, and asked, 'What did you get, Margaret?"  
  
"A sweater that my sister knitted, and some brownies my mother made."  
  
"Yum!"  
  
They talked for a few more minutes, then Hawkeye asked Margaret, "So, buy you a drink, Major?"  
  
Margaret hesitated a moment, then nodded. "All right, Captain."  
  
They made their way over to the table, when Hawkeye stopped short. Margaret looked at him, confused.  
  
"Why did you stop?"  
  
He grinned. "Look up, Major."  
  
She glanced up, and saw a sprig of mistletoe hanging directly above them. She looked back at him, and saw him grinning at her. Immediately she pushed him away, knowing what was in his head.  
  
"Captain Pierce, get away from me!"  
  
"Margaret, it's a tradition! Whenever you're under mistletoe, you're supposed to kiss the person you're with!"  
  
"I'm sorry Margaret, it was just a little holiday tradition. Whenever you get caught under mistletoe, you're supposed to get kissed. It's a tradition!"  
  
'Well, it's a tradition that's going to be broken tonight buster!" She spun around, and strode out of the Mess Tent.  
  
Hawkeye sighed, and wandered over towards BJ, who was laughing silently.  
  
'Oh shut up, Beej."  
  
"Ah, don't worry, Hawkeye. She'll be fine."  
  
Hawkeye wasn't so sure. "Maybe I should go talk to her."  
  
BJ shrugged. "Sure, why not?"  
  
Hawkeye nodded, and slowly made his way outside. He glanced around the compound, and saw the major walk towards her tent, and go in.  
  
After a few moments, he went over, and knocked on the door.  
  
"What do you want?" A voice snapped from inside.  
  
"Margaret, it's me."  
  
Instantly she responded. 'Go away, Pierce.  
  
He opened the door anyway. Margaret was sitting on her bed, staring at the floor. When she saw him enter, her head snapped up.  
  
"Didn't you hear me say go away? Leave me alone, Pierce. You're the last person I want to see."  
  
"Look, can we talk? Please?" Hawkeye asked quietly.  
  
Margaret looked at him for a long moment, then said quietly. "All right."  
  
Hawkeye pulled a chair over, and sat in front of her.  
  
"Look, Margaret, I'm sorry. I was a jerk back there. I didn't mean to be. All I was trying to do was have fun. I didn't want to make you upset." he said.  
  
Margaret looked up at him, and saw the sincerity in his eyes. She relented.  
  
"That's all right, Pierce. It's not really all you're fault," she said, staring into space, thinking.  
  
"Who else's fault is it?" Hawkeye asked curiously.  
  
Immediately she regretted saying anything. She was supposed to be the tough army major, and keep everything inside. But here she was, spilling her thoughts to Hawkeye Pierce, the man who had regularly teased and annoyed her.  
  
"Forget it, Pierce. Forget I said anything. I accept your apology, now please leave."  
  
Hawkeye shook his head. 'Oh, no. You're not getting away with it that easy. I can see that you're upset, I'm not that stupid. I'm not leaving until you tell me."  
  
"Fine, then I'll leave," she said, standing up and heading for the door. But Hawkeye was too fast. He blocked the door, staring her in the face.  
  
"I'm not letting you leave until you tell me. So, you can either tell me, or we'll both be here a very long time."  
  
She turned around, and sat back on her bed, her arms crossed, staring at the floor to hide the tears that were forming in her eyes. He sat, studying her intently.  
  
"What is it, Margaret?" he asked quietly.  
  
She sighed, then looked at him.  
  
"I don't like Christmas. When I was a kid, I loved it. I couldn't wait to get up, see what Santa brought me. It was a day I looked forward to every year." she said.  
  
"Well, what's different about it now?" Hawkeye asked.  
  
"Now, all Christmas is just another day, like my birthday, that shows me I'm a year older, and I don't have anything I though I would. I don't have a home to be homesick for, all I have is the army. I worked hard to be a major, but there's more that I want out of life."  
  
"Like what?"  
  
"I want a home, a real home, not some place at an army base, or a tent. I want a family. Every year, I get reminded that there's no one who... who..."  
  
"Loves you?" Hawkeye finished.  
  
"Yes." Margaret finished quietly, tears in her eyes.  
  
Hawkeye scooted closer. "Margaret, there's a lot of people here who love you. Colonel Potter, BJ, me, your nurses. We care about you a lot." he told her.  
  
She shook her head. "Not that kind of love. I mean someone who loves me, not like a friend. Not someone like Donald, someone who really means it."  
  
Hawkeye paused, then said, so softly, she almost couldn't hear him. "You do."  
  
"I do?" She looked up, into his eyes.  
  
He nodded slowly.  
  
"Who?"  
  
He smiled. "Take a wild guess."  
  
"Well, Colonel Potter and BJ are spoken for. Definitely not Klinger or an enlisted, they're all scared of me. That only leaves one person I can think of. You."  
  
He smiled again. "And what do you think about that?"  
  
"I don't know how, because you're always teasing me, or pulling pranks on me. Then, there was the mistletoe today."  
  
"Margaret, why do you think I kept trying to get you under the mistletoe? I wanted to kiss you, but I knew you wouldn't go for it. So, I figured maybe if I got you under the mistletoe, you'd agree because of the Yuletide tradition. Well, that didn't work," he said ruefully. "All I did was get you mad at me, which is the exact opposite of what I wanted."  
  
"Any nurse in there would have let you kiss them. Why did you go after me?"  
  
"Because all the other nurses aren't you." He said simply.  
  
When she looked at him blankly, he took her hand. "Margaret, you one of the most amazing women I've ever know. You're smart, funny, tough, but sweet. You compassionate and caring, one of the best nurses I've ever scrubbed with. And, "he paused, "You're my favorite officer in the whole US army."  
  
Her heart melted, and a tear trickled down her cheek. He reached up, and wiped it away with his thumb. He looked into her eyes, their faces only a few inches apart. Hawkeye slowly leaned in, searching her face. Their lips met. Margaret slid her arms around his neck, pulled them closer together. His arms wrapped around her waist.  
  
They broke apart, looking at each other.  
  
"Did what I think just happen just happen?" Margaret asked.  
  
Hawkeye smiled. "I sure hope so."  
  
Margaret hesitated, then spoke. "Hawkeye?"  
  
"Yes, Margaret?"  
  
"Did this really mean something, or am I just another of your flings?"  
  
Hawkeye turned serious, and stared deep into her eyes.  
  
"Margaret, I know swear to you, I will never hurt you like Donald did. I know what that did to you, and I would never, ever, do that to you. You mean a lot to me. To tell you the truth, I've felt this way for a long time. I was just to scared to say anything."  
  
'Why were you scared?" She asked.  
  
He smiled. "For two reasons. One, the reason you just mentioned. I know how Donald hurt you, and I figured you wouldn't want anything to do with any man. Second, it's a little like the first, but it apples to me."  
  
Margaret was confused. "What do you mean?"  
  
He paused, gathered his thoughts, and spoke. "There have been two women in my life, besides you, who I really loved. Both left me."  
  
"And those women were?"  
  
"One was my mother. She died when I was ten."  
  
"And the other?"  
  
"Carlyle Breslin. You remember her, she was transferred here for a few days, then transferred out?"  
  
Margaret nodded.  
  
"We were together when I was in residency. We were really close, saw a lot of each other. Hard not too, when you're living together. Then one day, she left. Said that she was tired of taking a back seat to my work. After her, there wasn't anyone I was really serious about." He paused, then added, "That is, until now," he said, smiling at her.  
  
She smiled back. "Maybe that's why you were able to help me so much with Donald. You knew a little of what its like."  
  
He nodded. "Maybe."  
  
She smiled. "Well, I have a feeling I won't be leaving anytime soon."  
  
"Me neither."  
  
They kissed again, and then Hawkeye spoke up.  
  
"Well, shall we head back to the Mess Tent? Now that we have something to celebrate?"  
  
Margaret smiled, and nodded. 'We sure do. Let's go!"  
  
"Wait. I have one more question."  
  
She looked at him, confused. "What?"  
  
"Do you want this relationship to be a secret, like the one you had with Frank? Or can we be open about this? Because I'm not ashamed of this. I want everyone to know about this. But, if you really, really want this to be secret, we can do that."  
  
Her heart melted at this. "No, Hawkeye. I definitely do not want this to be a secret. I don't know why I did that with Frank, Maybe it was because no one liked him, or because he was married, I don't know. But I do know that I love you, and I want everyone to know that.'  
  
He smiled. "I love you too. Come on, let's go."  
  
They headed back, hand in hand.  
  
When they entered the Mess Tent, a few heads turned. A few more turned when they saw the two holding hands. Margaret and Hawkeye shared a knowing glance. They walked over to BJ, who smiled back at them.  
  
"Merry Christmas, Hawkeye, Margaret."  
  
"Merry Christmas, BJ." The two said in unison.  
  
The room was suspiciously quiet. Hawkeye turned around.  
  
"Everyone, as I can tell by the shocked expressions on your faces, that you have noticed Major Houlihan and I. Well, I have good news." He turned, and kissed Margaret passionately. After a few moments, they broke apart, Hawkeye grinning like a maniac, Margaret's eyes dancing, and BJ laughing hysterically.  
  
After a few minutes, Colonel Potter broke the silence.  
  
"Does this mean what I think it means?"  
  
They nodded.  
  
"Yahoo! It's about time!"  
  
Everyone started laughing, hurrying over to congratulate the happy couple. A few were shocked, but most were happy that their favorite doctor and head nurse were finally together. Most everyone but them knew they would make the perfect couple. Now finally, it had happened.  
  
After a few minutes of excited chatter, BJ snuck up behind Margaret and Hawkeye carrying a piece of mistletoe.  
  
He dangled it over their heads, and everyone started laughing. Confused, Hawkeye looked around. Seeing BJ, he glanced up, then started laughing. He tapped Margaret's shoulder, and pointed up. When she saw the mistletoe, she looked at him, and smiled.  
  
"Should we?" Hawkeye asked mischievously.  
  
Margaret shrugged. "Why not?"  
  
And with that, they leaned in and kissed. Everyone erupted in cheers.  
  
Then, Hawkeye started singing Christmas carols.  
  
"Chestnuts roasting, on an open fire, Jack Frost nippin' at your nose. Yuletide carols being sung by a choir, And folks dressed up like Eskimos. And so, I'm offering this simple phrase. To kids from one to ninety-two. Although its been said, many times, many ways, Merry Christmas, too you."  
  
"Merry Christmas, everyone."  
  
"Merry Christmas."  
  
THE END  
  
A/N: So, so, whaddya think??? I really hope you like it, I had a lot of fun writing this. I know its nowhere near Christmas, but oh well. And that carol is one of my favorites, that why I used it. I wanted to find one that was romantic, but I couldn't think of any. Anyway, please, click the little purple button at the bottom left corner, and review. Please, as kinda a Christmas present in honor of the story?????? 


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